The Almost Fight that Never Happened
by RangerLuv2
Summary: Just a little Stephanie/Ranger one-shot. Takes place about a year after their wedding. Since Janet hasn't give them a wedding, I guess this would be considered A/U. Hope you enjoy it. Characters belong to J.E. I'm not making any money.


**The Almost Fight that Never Happened**

"Steph, it wouldn't hurt you to put your dirty socks in the hamper instead of tossing them on the floor," Ranger said from the bathroom when he heard Stephanie come into the bedroom.

Stephanie put her hands on her hips. "Does that bother you? I usually pick them up and put them in the hamper before I head down to the fifth floor, and if I forget, Ella does it when she cleans. You're only subjected to them for a minute or so on the few days I forget. By the time you come back to the apartment in the evening, they're gone." She sat on the edge of the bed waiting for him to come out.

"You're right," Ranger agreed. "I hardly ever see them on the floor any more and even if I did, it probably wouldn't bother me."

Stephanie looked disappointed. "Okay," she said quietly. "Are you hungry? Ella brought up dinner a few minutes ago."

Ranger stepped out of the bathroom looking scrumptiously delicious. He was fresh from the shower, wearing gray sweat pants and that's all. His glorious chest and abs were bare, and so were his perfectly shaped, sexy feet. "Why do you ask? You think I enjoy sitting there watching you kill yourself with fat and sugar laden foods?"

Stephanie jumped up from the bed and stalked toward him. "What kind of thing is that to say? You know I've improved my eating habits month after month since we got married. I'm down to dessert just once or twice a week! I eat fruit and vegetables every day!"

Ranger hung his head. "That's true. I'm really proud of you, Babe. Your determination to eat a healthier diet has been nothing less than impressive."

"Thank you," she said, relaxing a bit. "Don't ever expect me to switch to nuts and berries and twigs though. Just because you're happy eating like a bear in the woods, doesn't mean I would be."

"Babe, you know I don't actually eat twigs. And even you eat nuts and berries. Not only that, I eat fish and chicken and rice and whole wheat pasta and a lot of different good tasting healthy foods."

Stephanie felt bad. "I know and you're right. You should be proud of the way you take such good care of your body."

Ranger and Stephanie stood staring at one another. Each of them knew something was up, but the subtle dynamics of what was brewing were actually floating just below their conscious awareness. Just last weekend they'd had dinner with Tank and Lula who were both lit up like they'd swallowed a couple of Glow Sticks. Tank has always been a pretty private person, but Lula hardly ever cares what she shares, so Ranger and Steph had to sit through some of the tawdry details of the make-up sex Tank and Lula engaged in after a big blowup. Even mostly silent Tank had to agree that make-up sex was the best kind of sex.

Ever since, not quite aware of what they were doing, Ranger and Stephanie had been trying to pick a fight with one another, to no avail.

They walked side by side down the hallway and made their way to the dining room table where Ella had set up the buffet warmer and put out silverware and plates.

Ranger poured each of them a glass of wine while Stephanie got two bottles of water from the refrigerator. Then Ranger held out her chair for her.

As soon as she was seated, Stephanie drained her entire glass of wine, then looked at Ranger silently daring him to say something.

Ranger, however, wasn't about to say anything. Stephanie certainly couldn't hold her alcohol, but it made her silly and playful and sexually aggressive. Like he really wanted to stop that from happening.

"Another glass of wine, Babe?" he asked sweetly.

"Mmm, yes, please," she said, giving him a coy smile.

Ranger refilled her glass and quickly drank his own and refilled it. He removed the lids from the serving dishes and filled Steph's plate for her with chicken and wild rice before filling his own. Ella had brought fresh rolls, so he buttered one for her and held it to her lips.

Stephanie flicked out her tongue and licked some of the butter from the roll, moaning at the taste. Ranger stifled a moan of his own and watched as she took a small bite of the roll and slowly chewed it. When she took the roll from him, he took the opportunity to polish off another glass of wine and refill his glass.

Thirty minutes later, they'd eaten most of their food and Stephanie had finished four glasses of wine. She got up from her chair and walked over to his, slightly unsteady on her feet.

Ranger had opened a second bottle of wine and polished off six glasses to her four. He certainly wasn't drunk, but he was definitely feeling mellow and ... horny. Stephanie could make him feel that way on her own, but the combination of wine and Stephanie had him horny and a bit light-headed.

"Wanna sit on your lap," tipsy Stephanie told him.

Ranger moved his chair back and happily pulled her onto his lap. Stephanie ran her hands over his chest and abs. "You're a bad, impolite man to come to the dinner table without a shirt," she pretended to scold him. "No manners at all."

"Is that right?" Ranger asked with a smirk. "Just what is the punishment for that crime?"

Steph rested her head again his shoulder. "I dunno, but I'll add it to your punishment for trying to pick a fight with me the past three days."

Ranger wrapped his arms around her and ran his hands up and down her back. She was wearing white baby doll pajamas trimmed with pink satin. He could feel the heat of her skin through the translucent fabric. "Me?" he said with a scoff. "You've been trying to find fault with me for the past three days too."

Stephanie pushed against his chest and looked at his handsome face. "Well, what are you going to do about it, Mr. Perfect?" She reached between their bodies and caressed his hardness through the fabric of his sweat pants.

Ranger sucked in his breath as her hand moved from the outside to slip inside the waistband of his pants and continue the exploration of his rock hard dick. He lowered his head and captured her mouth with his own. After a long kiss that left them both breathless, he moved to her jaw, then planted tickling kisses down the side of her neck, nipping lightly when he got to her shoulder.

After a few minutes of enjoying his lips on her skin, she pulled her hand from his pants and cupped his face with her hands. Ranger smiled at the sight of her. In her tipsy condition, she couldn't wipe the wolfish grin from her face. She leaned close so that her lips were just centimeters from his. "I'm going to rip off your pants and make crazy passionate love to you, Carlos."

"Thank god," he whispered against her lips. "Because I don't see any make-up sex in our near future."

He stood with her in his arms and headed for the bedroom. "I think _mushy - I still can't get enough of you sex _is the most we can hope for right now, Babe."

"Such a shame," she said with a giggle.

**A/N – So, I went to bed early (for me) tonight, thinking I'd get a little extra sleep, but this one shot kept pestering me so I had to get up and type it out of my head so it would leave me alone. Hope you like it.**

**Sweet dreams, my friends! **


End file.
